Gaza unveils plan to demolish 255 war-damaged buildings

GAZA CITY

(AA Photo)

Gaza’s Government Media Office has announced the launch of an “urgent emergency plan” led by the Public Works and Housing Ministry in cooperation with various government ministries, institutions and international and U.N. bodies to evacuate and demolish 255 buildings damaged during Israel’s attacks.

The move follows several partial and complete collapses of buildings previously damaged by Israeli strikes, including the collapse on Sept. 16 of the Al-Saada building in Gaza City, which killed 21 Palestinians.

The plan is intended to eliminate the “imminent danger” posed by buildings at risk of total collapse and protect displaced people and other residents staying inside them, the media office said in a statement.

Authorities have been instructed to immediately begin field procedures under the evacuation plan, including placing warning signs around dangerous buildings and working to provide temporary shelter for affected families.

The media office said specialized government committees are continuing field assessments of damaged buildings and identifying families still living inside them.

It said the effort faces major challenges, including a lack of funding, shortages of heavy machinery and equipment needed for safe evacuations due to the Israeli blockade, and a lack of available land to accommodate displaced families.

On Sept. 16, the Public Works and Housing Ministry said around 3,000 buildings had been classified as dangerous or at risk of collapse because of damage sustained during the Israeli war.

Widespread destruction of residential buildings has forced thousands of Palestinians to remain in damaged and unstable structures because of severe shortages of adequate shelter.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 61 Palestinians have been killed in collapses of buildings damaged during the war.

Since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, dozens of war-damaged buildings have collapsed on residents who had no alternative shelter amid shortages of suitable tents and Israel’s restrictions on the entry of temporary prefabricated homes into Gaza.